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Changes in work force, not pay, narrowing the gender wage gap

A groundbreaking study by Brown University economist Yona Rubinstein and Casey Mulligan of the University of Chicago reveals that the apparent narrowing of the gender wage gap in recent decades is due to changes in the type of women entering the workforce, not actual pay increases. The research found that growing wage inequality within...

SourceBrown University·JournalThe Quarterly Journal of Economics·DateAug 12, 2008

Gender stereotypes contradicted when negotiating

A new study reveals that when people try to make a positive impression, they may behave in ways that contradict gender stereotypes. Men and women in high-status roles acted in ways that contradicted traditional gender norms during negotiation simulations.

SourceWiley·JournalNegotiation and Conflict Management Research·DateAug 7, 2008

Study: Common wisdom about troubled youth falls apart when race considered

A new study published in Journal of Marital and Family Therapy found that African-American youth exhibit similar levels of externalizing and internalizing behavior once family dysfunction is accounted for. The research suggests that family issues affect children in African-American families differently than they do in white families.

SourceOhio State University·JournalJournal of Marital and Family Therapy·DateJul 21, 2008

Male kidneys for men only?

A new analysis of kidney transplant data found that male kidneys function better in men than women, who have a higher risk of rejection. The study, based on almost 200,000 cases, suggests that gender should be considered when allocating donor kidneys.

SourceHeidelberg University Hospital·JournalThe Lancet·DateJul 9, 2008

US firms a role model for fair hiring standards, study says

A new study by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign finds that US-based companies tend to follow their home-country hiring standards when doing business abroad, even in countries without anti-discrimination laws. This results in lower rates of gender and age discrimination compared to European and Asian firms.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalJournal of International Business Studies·DateJul 7, 2008

Improving university recruitment process may increase female surgical faculty, study finds

A study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that optimizing university recruitment strategies and processes can lead to a significant increase in female surgical faculty. The research also identified cultural stereotypes, insufficient mentoring, and family responsibilities as barriers to women's career ad...

SourceWeber Shandwick Worldwide·JournalJournal of the American College of Surgeons·DateJun 26, 2008

Bridging the math gender gap

A study by Kellogg School of Management Professor Paola Sapienza found that girls' math scores improve in more gender equal societies, with the number of high-achieving girls increasing. In more equal societies, girls outperform boys in reading as well.

SourceManning Selvage & Lee·JournalScience·DateMay 29, 2008

Are women voters more likely to vote for female candidates?

Research found no significant gender gap supporting female candidates, with voters' decisions influenced by the candidate's policies and information rather than their gender. The study suggests women are more likely to support female candidates but evaluated similarly to male candidates based on personal and political considerations.

SourceSAGE·JournalPolitical Research Quarterly·DateMar 31, 2008

Hearing changes how we perceive gender

A Northwestern University study found that tones of voices can alter visual processing, suggesting a direct input from early auditory processing to visual perception. Researchers used pure tones to test whether sounds can influence perception of face gender, with results showing bias towards male or female faces based on tone frequency.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalCurrent Biology·DateOct 24, 2007

Septic survival

A recent study published in Critical Care found that children under four are highly susceptible to sepsis, which can lead to severe disease states and death. The study analyzed data from nearly 300 children with sepsis and purpura between 1988 and 2006, revealing that younger age is a critical factor in determining survival rates.

SourceBMC (BioMed Central)·JournalCritical Care·DateOct 17, 2007

Research says doctor's gender may hinder early diagnosis of heart disease in women

A recent study by the University of Warwick found that doctors' genders can impact the early detection of coronary heart disease (CHD) in women. The researchers discovered that female doctors were more likely to consider psychological explanations for women's health problems and paid attention to presentation style, potentially diverti...

SourceUniversity of Warwick·JournalSociology of Health & Illness·DateSep 5, 2007

Young people's development of attitudes about gender reflect family characteristics

A longitudinal study found that young people's gender attitudes develop in response to various factors, such as family composition, parental values, and sibling relationships. Most youth become less traditional over time, but certain groups, like first-born boys with brothers and traditional parents, exhibit more conservative attitudes.

SourceSociety for Research in Child Development·JournalChild Development·DateMay 17, 2007

Brain, size and gender surprises in latest fossil tying humans, apes and monkeys

A recently discovered fossil skull of Aegyptopithecus zeuxis, an ancient primate relative of humans, apes, and monkeys, contradicts previous assumptions about its brain size. The study suggests that the species' brain was smaller than expected, with a visual cortex indicating sharp vision, and may have had a large social group.

SourceDuke University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 14, 2007

The power of speaking ladylike

A new study by Dr. Carmelia Suleiman explores the role of gender in media interviews with politicians Bill and Hillary Clinton. Researchers found that language choices and habits in conversation were influenced more by the interviewers' perspectives than the interviewees' genders.

SourceSpringer·JournalJournal of Psycholinguistic Research·DateApr 24, 2007

TV's beauty makeovers mask ugly truths

The Extreme Makeover show promotes a radical makeover program that enforces conformity to societal norms. The program sells the idea of cosmetic surgery as a means to uncover one's authentic self, but actually reinforces gender, age, class, and race standards.

SourceUniversity of Alberta·JournalFeminist Media Studies·DateMar 23, 2007

Women and heart disease

A comprehensive review highlights clinically relevant differences in women and men's heart disease prevalence, presentation, management, and outcomes. Young women with acute coronary syndrome face higher mortality rates than young men.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·DateMar 12, 2007

European medical research still ignoring women

A study of European research ethics committees found that while some had informal rules for gender diversity, few had formal requirements to ensure equal representation of both sexes. Despite EU policy on gender equality in health research, limited attention was paid to these issues.

SourceBMJ Specialty Journals·JournalJournal of Medical Ethics·DateFeb 5, 2007

Novel brain areas associated with the recognition of gender, ethnicity and the identity of faces

Scientists discovered distinct brain regions processing gender, ethnicity and facial identity, contradicting previous assumptions about face recognition. These findings have implications for understanding conditions like autism spectrum disorders and may lead to improved methods for enhancing face recognition abilities.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 11, 2006

Efforts for whites to appear colorblind may backfire

Researchers found that whites who avoid using race in social interactions tend to exhibit less friendly nonverbal behaviors, such as reduced eye contact. This study suggests that attempting to appear colorblind may have unintended results and actually lead to perceived distance and unfriendliness.

SourceTufts University·JournalPsychological Science·DateDec 4, 2006

Too many men could destabilize society

A recent study warns that a surplus of men in societies favoring male babies could lead to increased antisocial behavior, violence, and organized crime. The distortion of natural sex ratios has resulted in an estimated 80 million missing females in India and China alone.

SourceUniversity College London·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 28, 2006

Men infer sexual interest before women do

A recent study found that men tend to gauge their partner's sexual interest before women do, with men's ratings of women influenced by physical attractiveness but not agreeableness. Women, on the other hand, rated their male partners higher on both physical attractiveness and agreeableness.

SourceBlackwell Publishing Ltd.·JournalPsychology of Women Quarterly·DateJun 8, 2006

When it comes to privacy, gender matters

A study found that nearly a quarter of men and women consider minimal video capture a privacy violation, with women expressing greater concern than men. Women were also more likely to be uneasy about their images being viewed at off-campus locations or in public places.

SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalHuman-Computer Interaction·DateMay 23, 2006